LUCBAN, Quezon – An advocate here wants the Southern Luzon State University (SLSU) be changed to Lucban State University through a municipal ordinance.
Hobart Dator Jr. submitted a letter to the municipal council of Lucban, requesting it to ‘to pass an ordinance renaming Southern Luzon State University to Lucban State University.
In his letter, Dator said the request for change in school name is meant to ‘to accord tribute to the sacrifices of the past leaders who made an effort to institute the university.’ Dator's letter pointed out that since in 1964 when SLSU (then named Lucban Municipal Junior High School) until 1981 when the name was changed into Southern Luzon Polytechnic College (SLPC), the school carried 'Lucban' in its name.
"Even when Lucban Municipal Junior High School was renamed into Lucban Municipal High School in 1965 and on June 1968 when it was renamed Lucban Community College, their town's name is incorporated into the school's identity", Dator reasoned out.
Dator's father, Hobart Sr., was then the mayor of Lucban when he established Lucban Municipal Junior High School and both the older and younger Hobart graduated from the school, as well as the other son, Serafin, who later also became the town's mayor.
"My father was the first graduate of the school, determined to finish his studies in addition to his responsibilities as the municipal mayor," Hobart Jr. said.
Dator reiterated he has no other intention with his proposal other than giving due credit to their town for hosting and harnessing remarkable talents from all the graduates of the state university in their town.
He cited as example other state universities like Bulacan State University and Batangas State University which managed to retain their own name in their state colleges.
"Today, when you mentioned SLSU, you wouldn't know it's located in Lucban," Dator explained, adding it's only rightful for their town to claim credit in this institution's history.